


Dirty Little Secret

by Cai_Artz



Series: Best frenemies to lovers [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Eating out, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Secret Relationships, Smut, handjob, the Master is an asshole but whats new, the doctor hides things, the fam is skeptical, they're so bad at hiding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:48:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22228162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cai_Artz/pseuds/Cai_Artz
Summary: Based on a request I got on tumblrthirteen and the Master set aside their differences and start seeing each other again. But could the Doctor's need to keep her past a secret drive them apart? What will happen when the gang finds out about her not so well kept secret?
Relationships: The Doctor/The Master (Doctor Who), Thirteenth Doctor/The Master (Dhawan)
Series: Best frenemies to lovers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600012
Comments: 90
Kudos: 332





	1. It starts like this

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a bit of a multi-chapter thing. I'm not sure how regularly it will update but I will try to keep it consistent.

After the events of last week, the Doctor hadn’t told her companions much of anything. She knew they were wary of her, worried about the secrets she had kept from them. She caught Graham studying her once or twice but ultimately ignored it in favor of taking them on trips to keep their minds occupied. The one thing she definitely didn’t tell them was that the Master was in fact far from dead. They had met up after she dropped her friends off for the week, she hadn’t expected the knock on her door in the outskirts of deep space, nor had she expected him to fall into her arms sobbing. 

The events of the fall of Gallifrey had caught up with him in a way, they held each other as he shook and sobbed and begged for forgiveness. They had talked for a bit after that, wrapped up in each other upon the old worn-out couches in the far depth of her TARDIS. “I can’t tell them,” she said after they had kissed like their lives depended on it, “you hurt them, almost got them killed I can’t forgive you for that.” 

“I can try…” the Master hummed, brushing his nose against her neck, “to be better.” 

“I know, I know you can I’ve seen it..” she brushes her lips against the top of his head, “but they can’t know…they barely know about Gallifrey.” The Master nodded, understanding laced his features but that didn’t mean he was happy about it, about her choosing her companions over him. 

They laid like that for however long before the Doctor’s phone began to buzz, “ah, Doctor, your pets are calling you.” 

The Doctor rolled her eyes, “they’re not my pets,” she began to sit up so she could grab her phone, the Master huffed angrily, pulling her back down. “Master,” she growled, “I have to get up, and you have no go.” The Master frowned, pulling her into another kiss before getting up off the couch. 

“I’m coming back,” he said.

“I should hope so…Don’t take over any planets in the meantime,” she says, getting up off the couch and shrugging on her coat. She sends a quick text to her friends before walking him back to his TARDIS.

It goes on like that for a while, the Doctor running with her friends only to drop them off and meet up with the Master for one reason or another. She would still text him every now and again, meet up times and date plans. Though their ‘dates’ were a bit unconventional in a sense, they enjoyed the running and the fighting nonetheless. In the end, she thought everything was going pretty well, but keeping who she was from her friends was proving harder then she thought it to be. 

“So, Doctor,” Yaz had said one day as the Doctor messed around with her console unit, “what do you do when we’re not around? I mean it must get boring…on your own.” Now, the Doctor was never a good liar, at least, this version of her was not. She avoided the truth easy enough, sprinkling bits and pieces of it but never enough to answer any hard-hitting questions. 

For example, “Oh, you know, fixing the TARDIS, traveling around and running errands,” wasn’t exactly a lie, but she failed to mention that these activities had recently started to include the Master and that more often than not these activities led to…other things. Her answer seemed to satisfy Yaz though, if only for a little bit, but her line of questions wasn’t over yet.

“So, we’ve been seeing you texting a lot lately. Do you have any more ‘friends’ we should be worried about?” she said ‘friends’ with a not so well hidden air of distrust. The Doctor didn’t answer that question, instead opting to avoid the subject by naming planets the gang could visit. It served well enough, easily distracting Yaz long enough for Graham and Ryan to join them and the conversation to switch. All the while, the Doctor could feel her phone vibrating in her coat pocket.


	2. Meet You in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor's meetings with the Master are starting to attract attention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wan't to leave a request or just come say hi you can do so here!
> 
> www.tumblr.com/gayforthe13th

The thing about traveling with companions is that more often than not the Doctor was running about saving planets and not really lounging long enough to answer any form of communication other than the yelling of her name. Which is why the Master would often resort to wreaking havoc rather than sending a nice card with flowers on it. The time he spent as O had been the longest the Doctor had ever texted him for, except even then their communication was few and far between. Things didn’t get much easier after threatening to destroy planets either, he spent most of that time being thwarted by her and not enough of that time kissing her. He remembers fondly his time with her tenth incarnation upon the valiant, where he would de-age the Doctor once his companions were locked away and they would play their favorite game of cat and mouse. Now that he finally had her, however, and now that he was too tired to go on, he would text her until she was annoyed with him instead. It was just as good as enslaving planets because it pissed her off just as much. 

Currently, she was bouncing about the console room pointedly ignoring the buzzing of her phone which was easier for her than it was for her friends, who were leaning against their respective crystal pillars in matching annoyed poses. “Doctor,” Yaz said, “you gonna get that?”

“Its nothing,” the Doctor said as she punched in coordinates, “my phone’s just broken that’s all.” she quickly pulled the lever and the TARDIS groaned to life, leaving her ‘fam’ excited for their next adventure. 

Saving worlds always left the humans thoroughly exhausted, and at the end of their adventure, they were quick to retire to their respective rooms. Yaz always asked the Doctor if she ever slept, the Doctor would merely shake her head and grin, “Timelords don’t really need much sleep.” This wasn’t a lie but it definitely wasn’t the truth either. The Doctor had never been much of a sleeper, nightmares kept her up way too often for her to even attempt such a thing. However recently, whenever her companions would retire for the night she’d send a quick text to the Master, set her TARDIS down, and make her way across whatever planet they had landed on to his where she slept soundly beside him until it was time to leave again. Sometimes, she’d do it on days her ‘fam’ just didn’t want to go out. “We need a break every once in a while,” Graham had said after a particular nasty adventure left them all panting and gasping for breath all the way back to the ship, “these legs can only take so much.” 

On those days she’d wait until they were occupied deep within the TARDIS, whether it was sleeping, or playing games, or watching a movie. Then, she’d make her way to the Master’s TARDIS and they’d play a nice game of Gallifreyan chess or talk about fond memories, or (if the Master convinced her) make out until they were both sans clothes. She felt like a kid again, kissing him behind the academy walls making sure the teachers wouldn’t hear them both. It didn’t feel right, hiding from her friends, but he wasn’t exactly number one on their list of favorite people. 

“You should leave before your pets start to worry,” the Master had said on one particular meetup, shrugging his shirt back onto his shoulders. She pouted, laying herself back onto his bed with an annoyed huff. 

“We’re running around like kids,” she hissed, but her words didn’t have much bite to them considering the ways he tugged him back onto the bed and buried her face in his shoulder.

“Would you rather I saunter into your TARDIS and kiss you right then and there?” he asked, pressing a kiss to her lips as an example. She rolled her eyes, pushing him back.

“No.. definitely not.” 

“You better be careful then, your apes aren’t stupid.”

“You always say they are. Besides, I'd be more careful if you stopped texting me all the time.”

“Oh?” the Master purred, wrapping an arm around her waist and tugging her onto his lap, “last I checked you used to enjoy it.”

“I still do, just- my phone can’t keep going off every second, they’re starting to notice.” He was about to say something else, but her phone buzzed from the floor of the room and he sighed. 

“Speaking of, you’re needed my dear.” the Doctor frowned, lifting herself off of him she quickly gets dressed and shrugs her coat on, picking her phone off the floor she finds a text from Yaz.

**Yaz:**

Hey, where are you?

I figured you’d be in the console room but you’re not there...

**Doc:**

Just nicked out for a quick planet exploration

no worries.

I’m on my way back now.

Beside her the Master snorted, leaning over her to read her text. “Ooh nice one, you’re getting better at the lying thing.”

“Shut up,” she huffs, stuffing her phone back in her pocket she makes her way towards the door. Suddenly, she spins around slamming him against the door and forcing him into a hard kiss, it catches him off guard for a moment but he’s quick to respond with equal vigor. She pulls back with a satisfied hum before leaving. The Master stands dumbfounded by the door with the stupidest grin on his face.


	3. Thin Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you want to leave a request or just come say hi you can do so here!
> 
> www.tumblr.com/gayforthe13th

The Doctor couldn’t keep this charade up forever and it was slowly starting to take its toll on her. The gang had started to notice when she was being snappy with them, and when she would go out for hours at a time only to come back with her mood lifted. In a way, it felt like she was using the Master. The two of them clinging to each other because they were the only ones left, because they shared the same pain, or because of something the humans would never understand. Regardless of whether or not she told them she knew that all she would get was pity, and worried sympathy. With the Master, there was no sympathy, no pity, just two Timelords existing around each other. At the moment, the Doctor was sat upon the Master’s bed, flicking through a particularly large book while the Master paced the floor restlessly. 

“I’m bored!” he whined, “We never go anywhere! Let’s run off somewhere. Drop your pets off at home and let's go… I don’t know… save a stupid planet.” He flopped directly onto her, making sure to put all his weight on her. The Doctor groaned at the sudden weight, shifting her body in an attempt to shake him off but he wouldn’t budge.

“I can’t just convince them to go home for no reason.”

“You do it all the time!” he turned his body to look up at her, a childish pout on his face, “pleaaase Theta.”

“Just because you say my name doesn’t mean I’ll do anything. I’m not like you, Master.” At this he sucked in a breath, letting out a shuddering sigh. 

“C’mon, I won’t blow anything up, I promise. I’ll be good.” The memory of Missy flashed in her mind, she shook her head tossing her book aside. She still wasn’t sure which regeneration he was currently in. Time travel could be tricky like that. He had never mentioned being Missy, had never even mentioned what had happened after he had left her on the Mondasian ship. She never thought to bring it up either, scared of what the answer might be, or even if it had happened to him at all yet. The thought of losing him was too much to bear.

“No..” she muttered, shutting her book and tossing it aside she pushes him off and stands up, quickly turning away from him, “I think they’re waking up by now anyway...I should head back.”

“Doctor?” The Master lifted himself off the bed, grabbing her arm he forced her to face him, but she was quicker snatching her arm back she took a step away from him and avoided eye contact. The Master’s stare bore through her. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No! It’s just...I should go.” she smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She presses a kiss to his cheek and walks out the door.

She hadn’t answered any of his texts after that, nor his calls and the Master was starting to worry. Logically, he knew she was alright, he could still feel her the remnants of their connection lingering in his mind. But he still wasn’t sure what he had done wrong, and it frustrated him. Normally, this would be the point where he would go kill someone, or blow something up, his fingers itching to pull a trigger or push a button like a junkie on cold turkey. But every time he thought about it he would picture the burning remains of Gallifrey and the feeling would sit like a stone in his hearts until he found some other way to occupy himself. That being said the Master didn’t stay cooped up in his TARDIS like some damsel waiting for his husband to return from the war. No, he went out and wreaked what little havoc he could among smaller civilizations. Nothing major, just breaking a law or two and then escaping back into his TARDIS to start the cycle all over again. Except much like the Doctor the Master did not think things through often. Which is how he found himself locked in a jail cell slowly freezing on an ice planet inhabited by sentient ice people. Tryria T74 was a barren and desolate place (or so he thought) and he had only landed there to let his TARDIS refuel for a day or two. The light particles that materialized over the planet’s surface every 70 years or so made great fuel for a TARDIS and his plan was simple enough. What he didn’t account for was the fact that he had landed smack dab in the middle of the native’s territory, and they did not take kindly to visitors. His body was used to certain amounts of cold if only for a little while, but his patience was beginning to wear thin and so was his body heat. 

He didn’t know how long he had been there, but luckily the natives had forgotten to check all of his pockets and he was able to pull out his laser screwdriver and send out a pulse like a mini distress signal. The pulse wouldn’t reach far, but anyone in the nearby area with the right technology should be able to hear him. And, if anything, he could kill them steal their weapons and destroy this stupid town for locking him up in the first place. His screwdriver sent back a signal indicating someone had heard and was on their way and the Timelord’s heartbeats quickened with renewed adrenaline. Then, just as quickly as they rose, they dropped. The telltale wheezing of the TARDIS materializing could be heard from down the hall and he knew there weren’t many options as to who it could be. That bastard! She hadn’t talked to him in weeks, only to show up once he was in peril! She fucking would… 

“Doctor? Why are we even here?” Oh for Rassilon’s sake. He couldn’t hear the Doctor’s response but he could hear her running towards his cell only to stop short in front of it with a bewildered expression on her stupid, pretty face. He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to kill her too. Behind her, her companions were getting closer. Quickly, she unlocked the cell with her sonic.

“Run, now,” she looked panicked.

“Where have you been?” he hissed, lifting himself off the floor and making his way out of the cell. He fixed her with a glare, moving past her like an animal stalking its prey. She avoided his eye.

“I’ll talk to you later, they’re coming you need to leave.”

“Oh? Are you so ashamed of me Doctor?” 

“Master please.” The Master rolled his eyes, shoving past her he ran out of the dungeon but not before shooting two guards out of spite.


	4. In the Event of an Alien Incursion, Grab Your Boyfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y'all remember the cyberman announcement because I do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to leave a request or just come say hi you can do so here!
> 
> www.tumblr.com/gayforthe13th

She was starting to get worried, and as a result, her companions were starting to get restless. The Master was never one to sulk if he was angry she would have known about it from ten galaxies away. His anger always came in the form of destruction, as did most of his moods now that she really thought about it. But, as of late, he’d been uncharacteristically silent, no texts, no angry calls, no blowing up planets just...silence. The Doctor had seen many things, but the Master’s silence was more worrying than his anger. 

“Earth to Doctor,” it had been the fifth time that day that Yaz had to snap the Timelord out of her thoughts. The gang had decided they needed a break from traveling, seeing as the Doctor’s mood had been worsened since they left that ice planet empty-handed. She had insisted the call she got must have been a false alarm, but she had been terse, angered, ever since. Currently, the gang was sitting outside an Earth cafe, it had been Graham’s idea, ‘Never had tea in Germany,’ he had said. 

They were definitely enjoying themselves despite having to call out to the Doctor every five minutes. “Doctor, tell us what's going on. We’re your friends, we’re here to help.” Yas had said, earning a nod of agreement from Ryan and a grunt of approval from Graham who at the moment was stuffing a sandwich into his mouth. The Doctor opened her mouth to give them yet another excuse, and then it happened. 

The ground beneath them shook, there was a distant shattering of glass and the gang rose to their feet to survey the surrounding area. The Doctor’s immediate reaction was to look up towards the sky. She could recognize the telltale signs of a ship hitting the atmosphere immediately. “Okay! Everyone get back to the TARDIS now!” They bolted, pushing passed panicked people and towards the TARDIS. She hadn’t been paying attention to the shack parked a little way away from it, it was Ryan who spotted it first. 

“Oi!” Ryan called out, causing Yas and Graham to slow their pace and turn towards him. The Doctor, not feeling the pattering of footsteps behind her, turned to see what was going on and then promptly froze on the spot. “Isn’t that O’s shack?”

“The Master…” Yas gasped out, shell shocked, as the Doctor made her way back over to them, “Doctor what if he’s up to something.”

_ No _ , the Doctor thought, _ he can’t be.  _ “We should go, that spaceship is seconds away from flying over us, we need to see what they’re up to.”

“But what if the Master’s with them!?” The Doctor shook her head, biting her lip. It was never that easy with the Master, he wouldn’t do something that stupid...again. 

She didn’t have to worry about it being true for very long, because the Master had stepped out of his TARDIS, dressed to the nines and stared up at the sky as a massive ship descended upon the poor country. “What the hell do you want now!?” It was Graham who spoke up this time, marching towards him onto for Ryan to pull him back. The Master didn’t answer them, he merely glared at the three humans before his gaze fell upon the Doctor. 

“Cybermen,” he muttered, handing her his laser screwdriver so she could check the readings. She did, although she would have believed him regardless. 

“Doctor, tell us what’s going on!” The Doctor sucked in a breath, sparing a glance at the Master who glared at her challengingly. 

“Yes Doctor,” he hissed, “why don’t you tell your friends? Or would you like me to play the villain again? Make it easier for you.”

“It was never easy for me! Fighting you was never easy for me!” she snapped, then she sighed, running her hands over her face. “We don’t have time for this! You’re sure its Cybermen?”

“You saw the readings.”

“How did you know about this?” it was an accusation hidden behind a question, and the Master knew it. He snarled, brushing fake dusk off his coat.

“I was going to blow the stupid ship up, they ran off and now they’re here. I am allowed to do things without you.”

“I never said you weren’t. But regardless I’m going to help.”

“I don’t need your help!”

It was Ryan who stepped up this time, shoving the Master away from his friend, “if you two could stop bickering like a married couple for five seconds we’d be able to figure this out!” The Master reached out to grab at him but he dodged just in time, his arms crossed. 

“You knew about him Doctor, you didn’t seem at all surprised to see him,” Yaz put a hand on Ryan’s shoulder and shot the Doctor an angered glare, “why weren’t you surprised!”

“Yes Doctor, why weren’t you?” the Master growled, straightening himself. The Doctor’s eyes were fixed on his, they seemed to be having a silent conversation. Yaz had had enough of the silence. She huffed, turning around just in time to see a group of metal men beam down from the ship hovering about them, then another, then another. Oh no. Things were about to get so much more complicated.


	5. Keep Your Enemies Close and Your Friends Terrified

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get heated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is super short and 100% proof I can't write lmao

“You won’t be able to get back to your TARDIS in time,” Yaz jumped out of her terrified trance at the sound of the Master’s voice it seemed the Doctor had stopped having a silent conversation with him and instead decided to finally focus on the task at hand. 

“Why should we trust you!?” Yaz growls, turning to look at him.

“ _ I  _ don’t need your trust ape,” the Master hissed, holding his hand out to the Doctor and tilting his head towards his ship in silent plea. 

“They’d be able to sense your ship once you take the shields down,” she says.

“That’s the plan, sort of a call to beam us up. Once we’re inside I’ll be able to activate the bomb again. With your help…” he adds the last part quickly once he had taken notice of the look on her face. With a heavy sigh, she nods, taking his hand he pulled her inside the ship as she drags the humans along with her. 

The interior of his TARDIS was the same as before, a seemingly run-down shack with piles of equipment and books scattered around it. Only this time, a console was sat at the center of it and the house itself looked a lot bigger than it had before. Yaz shivered, reaching out for Ryan and Graham who both put reassuring hands on her shoulders. “So what are those things? You called them cybermen?” Graham is the first to speak up, confusion laced on his features but that wasn’t anything new. The Doctor nodded, as she and the Master worked on lowering his ship’s shields.

“Cybermen are one of the nastiest creatures in the universe,” she mutters, disgust in her voice.

“Really?” Yaz says finally stepping forward, “and here I thought that was him.” she nods her head towards the Master. In a flash he’s advancing towards her, sucking all the confidence from her demeanor in a manner of seconds. Three things seem to happen at once: the Master makes a grab for her only to be pulled back by the Doctor, and Yaz jumps back with a yelp as Ryan and Graham step in front of her both ready to defend her in case he attacks. He doesn’t. The Doctor places a firm hand on his arm, turning him so he’s facing her. She watches as his fuming demeanor calms in her presence, his breathing slowing to match her own. They don’t speak, but she knows their talking, and she hates it. 

Before the Doctor can say anything else the ship starts shaking, tossing things off shelves. The gang grabs onto anything steady as they’re lifted. “It’s starting...You know the plan?” the Doctor nods, turning to her friends.

“Ryan and Graham I’m going to need you to stay here, we’re about to gain access to the ship’s layout. I’m going to give you communicators you have to read out the layout to us, let us know where we are,” she says, steadying herself she pulls five communicators out of her pocket. “Yaz you’re with me, we’re going to head towards the engines, we need to connect the bomb to it. Master you’re going to get to the bomb and detonate it when I tell you.” the Master huffed, but agreed nonetheless.

“You’re hot when you take charge,” he purrs. Behind him Ryan gags. 

“When did you even make this plan?” Yaz says, taking a communicator from the Doctor as the ship lands with a thud.

“Timelords think fast,” the Master smirks, patching his console to the ship’s map. With a flicker of blue light, the map appears above the console. 

“They won’t be able to get in here. You guys will be okay.” The Doctor says to Ryan and Graham, who merely nod sharing worried glances.

“YOU WILL EXIT.” 

“Right...shall we?” the Master smirks like he was enjoying this, Yaz wouldn’t be surprised if he was. The two Timelords leave the ship arm in arm and, with one last lingering look at her friends, Yaz follows behind.


	6. Violence for Violence is the Rule of Timelords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the infiltration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
> If you want to leave a request or just come say hi you can do so here!
> 
> www.tumblr.com/gayforthe13th

When Timelords come up with a plan the one thing you can always be sure of is that they will never be airtight. This goes double for the Doctor and the Master, both of whom had a track record of things going wrong when they had a plan. Now, if you’ve traveled with the Doctor long enough you would know this. Yaz knew this. Her mistake, however, was assuming that two heads were better than one. In the case of the Doctor and the Master...she would be wrong. “IDENTIFY.” the cyberman in front of them looked different than the others, its body was silver, yes, but there was a black type of metal on the sides of its head and the metal rod connecting one end of its head to the other was much bigger than its counterparts. 

“Cyberleader,” the Doctor said, putting her hands behind her back and straightening herself, “I’d ask you to turn your ship around now, but I know you won’t.” 

“YOU WILL IDENTIFY.” the Cyberleader marched closer, instinctively Yaz took a step back. She saw the Doctor send her a reassuring glance out of the corner of her eye and stood her ground. In her ear, the communicator crackled to life.

“Hey guys, Graham and I spotted a nice hatch you can use to escape, it leads down to the next floor. I’d suggest making a run for it now,” Ryan’s voice echoed in her ear, the Master’s shoulders tensing meant he had heard and acknowledged the suggestion. Slowly, she saw him put his hand in his pocket while the Doctor kept the Cyberleader busy, she readied herself for a lot of running.

“Oh she just  _ loves  _ to run her mouth,” the Master spoke up, an air of distaste in his voice. He inches to the left, closer to the panel by the wall, with the cyberleaders attention turned to him the Doctor takes Yaz’s hand and inches her towards the aforementioned hatch. “Lucky for you, I’m more shoot first ask questions later,” and with that, he shot the panel in the wall. A siren blared to life, gas spewed from the ceiling obscuring them from view long enough for the Doctor to sonic open the hatch and pull Yaz through, and the Master to make a quick run for the main control room. “Humans, time to get to work, which way is the control room?”

“You’re on the right track,” Graham’s voice spoke, “get to the far end of the hall and make a left,” meanwhile, the Doctor and Yaz were falling through a vent, the Doctor whooping while Yaz laughed out of pure adrenaline. They landed onto the next floor with a thud, the alarm had long since stopped and it was eerily quiet. Brushing off her pants Yaz stood as the Doctor checked their surroundings. Graham’s voice still echoed in her ear as he gave instructions to the Master. The Doctor pressed a button on the communicator and spoke.

“Okay Ryan it's your job to guide us now, I’m putting all of us on different channels now that we’re split but don’t worry the Master will still be able to relay information as long as we’re in the same vicinity.”

“How does that work?” Ryan asked.

“Uh, just Timelord stuff,” at this the Master scoffed and Yaz rolled her eyes. Whatever he was going to say next got cut off once the Doctor switched the channels and they were left with Ryan telling them to head to the right. As they walked the Doctor stayed vigilant, ready for any Cyberman that happened to turn the corner.

“So..what are they doing here? On Earth I mean?” Yaz asked as they walked side by side.

“Cybermen are...well they  _ were _ humans. Humans converted into robots without feelings whose only mission is to convert other humans.”

“That's..that's awful.” Sometimes, in the back of her mind, Yaz regretted ever hearing about space, ever leaving the comfort of her home. She had wanted more, wanted to see the universe, but the universe wasn’t always kind. Still, she was glad to be friends with someone like the Doctor. The Doctor  _ saved  _ people, or so she had thought. “We’re going to help them right...before they convert anyone.”

“I can’t say they haven’t already, but I will do my best to help.” the Doctor said she continued after Ryan’s voice told them to take a left, “that’s why we’re here. Hopefully, once we patch the bomb to the engine unit the cybermen will be able to detect it. They’ll call the others up to figure it out but by then we will have flown the ship away safely and blown it up.” Easier said than done, but she believed her anyway. 

There were some close calls on the way to the engine, a cyberman heading down the hall or an alarm almost tripped but they managed to make it there anyway. The Doctor was busy rewiring something, she explained it but honestly, Yaz couldn’t follow for the life of her. Something about readjusting the engine system so they looped back through to the main control room. Regardless Yaz was meant to be on lookout, she stood by the door while the Doctor worked. “So how do we fly the ship back into space?” Yaz asked, her arms crossed as she leaned against the door.

“The Master rigged the system, once the bomb is connected it will hack the ship’s systems and fly it far away enough to blow. When that starts happening we should have time to run back to the TARDIS.”

“And you trust him to do this?” the Doctor paused, turning to look at her.

“Look, Yaz. I know he’s done bad things. Believe me, I know. He’s done worse than what he has done to you guys. That doesn’t mean you have to forgive him, it just means-” she sighed, “I’m not asking you to trust him, I’m asking you to trust me.”

“You were with him. Behind our backs, the two of you were talking and you didn’t even tell us. How can I trust you? I don’t even know who you are.” the Doctor’s eyes were cold, the silence stretched, then it broke.

“Yaz, Doctor, you’ve got incoming!” the Doctor turned back to the task at hand, quickly plugging a wire into the panel she had been working on.

“Yaz, take my sonic and shut the doors quickly before they come!” Yaz didn’t hesitate to do what she asked, grabbing the screwdriver off the floor she pointed it at the door and it shut with a bang. The cybermen knocked and pushed but it wouldn’t budge. Her earpiece crackled to life again, but this time it was the Master’s voice.

“DOCTOR! What the hell did you do!”

“They were coming I had to think fast!”

“Doctor?” Yaz asked, turning to her, her eyes widened with fear, “what does he mean?”

“You just deadlock sealed the door,” the Master growled, “I can’t get you out from here! You’re stuck!”


	7. Burn the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day is saved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep making this fic angsty and I'm so so sorry!

“ What were you thinking!?” the Master’s voice rang in the Doctor's ear as she finished up her work and patched the last wire through. 

“This isn’t exactly the time to argue, listen you should be able to set the timer now and fly the ship up. When that’s done just get back to the TARDIS.”

“I’m not leaving you!

“We don’t have time for this Master,” the Doctor looked over at Yaz who was pacing back and forth restlessly as Ryan and Graham worked to find another way out for the two of them. 

“M-maybe there’s another hatch somewhere?” she asked, the banging on the door stopped a while ago but the Doctor was sure the Cybermen were going to find another way in. She had no choice, they had to detonate the bomb now or the cybermen would convert millions. 

“Master, you have to do this..please.” she could feel the Master’s mind reeling, his thoughts running a mile a minute as he tried to figure out a solution to both issues, she knew he wouldn’t be able to. Once the ship was in flight there was only enough time to make it back to his TARDIS and get out of there, as soon as he set the TARDIS in flight the ship will have exploded. She looked over at Yaz, who was tugging at her hair and pacing along the floor. The ship shook, it was making it's way back into space, Yaz’s shoulders dropped. 

“Wait! Guys, I think I may have found something!” Ryan exclaimed, “there should be a service hatch, I think it leads back to the control room.”

“There’d be cyberman crawling around everywhere by now headed in the same direction! Who's to say we won’t die by them instead!?”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Yaz said, standing determinant by the hatch Ryan had described to them, “we don’t have much of a choice, I’d rather not explode here.” The Doctor looked like she was about to protest but thought better about it. The two made their way through the hatch and crawled out. There was a ladder at the far end that led up to the next floor, from above she could hear the metal stomping of cybermen. 

“Quickly Doctor,” the Master said, “not long now, I’m heading back to the ship I can meet you halfway.”

“Don’t wait for us! What if you get hurt.” she could hear the Master growl then the sound of shuffling.

“For once, just do as I say.” then he was gone, and the Doctor was climbing the ladder with Yaz behind her. She poked her head out, checking her surroundings to make sure no cybermen were on the way, before lifting herself out of the hatch and helping Yaz out as well. The sound of running down the hall caused her to tense up for only a moment, but she quickly recognized the footsteps coming towards him, running to meet the Master halfway. She almost fell over when he crashed into her, pulling her into a bone-crushing hug. “Are you alright?” he asked, pulling back to check her for injury.

“Of course I’m alright.” 

B ehind them, Yaz cleared her throat, “as touching as this is can we get a shift on? They could come any moment.” the two Timelords share a look before nodding, and with the help of Ryan and Graham, the trio starts to make their way back towards the Master’s TARDIS.

“We’ve got about ten minutes before this place blows,” the Master informs them as they turn the corner. The Doctor grabs Yaz’s hand, tugging her with her so she didn’t fall behind. They’re so close she can feel it, just seconds away from reaching the TARDIS.

“INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!” oh no. The Doctor spotted about three Cyberman behind them, marching in tandem.

“Now’s the part where we start picking up the pace!” the Master shouted, ducking as a stray Cyberman laser flew passed him. The trio ducked and dodged as fast as they could, they were almost there. The Doctor’s legs felt like they were going to give out, the Master rushed towards the ship’s door, pulling it open. A stray laser flew passed him, barely missing Ryan and Graham. “A little faster please!” The Master called frantically, his worry masked by the blatant angered sarcasm. She wasn’t sure she was going to make it in time, swinging her arms she propelled Yaz forward just enough for her to make it in time but didn’t put her arm down fast enough. The final laser hit her arm with a sizzle and she screamed in pain before the Master grabbed her and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind him. The Cybership exploded, but no one in the ship felt it at all, too busy gathered around the Doctor, who cradled her burnt arm. 

The gang watched as the Master, who had brought the Doctor into his med bay shortly after, tended to his friend with a softness they had never thought was possible of him. They made quick work of clearing the burns with medicines that made the Doctor’s arm look as good as new. “You still need to rest it a bit, but you’ll be alright.”

“I know,” she huffed, “thanks...you know for waiting for us.”

“I waited for  _ you _ ,” he said, putting the rest of his things back where they had come from. The Doctor smiled warmly at him. 

“They’re totally dating,” Graham muttered, causing Ryan to grimace.

“Yeah...I figured,” Yaz said, remembering the way they hugged inside the Cybership. She didn’t approve of it, but the Doctor was a grown-ass woman (far from it considering she was presumed to be over two thousand years old) and could make her own decisions. “It just had to be the space psycho.” Ryan chuckled at this, and Graham nudged him, tilting his head towards the hall suggesting they should give them privacy. Reluctantly, after checking that their friend was alright, the trio made their way out of the room and back to the console room, leaving the two Timelords to their own devices.

“I’m sorry I was ignoring you…” the Doctor said, “I was just scared they’d find out…”

“I’m pretty sure they have by now,” the Master muttered, making a show of not looking her in the eye. 

“I know.” he sighed, taking her uninjured hand in his and squeezing it.

“You have every right to be ashamed of me… I just, I  _ hate _ it. Knowing you care for them more than me.”

“You know that’s not true,” the Doctor said, lifting her hand to his cheek and gently turning his head so he was looking at her, “you know I love you.” His face turned red, his eyes widened. “You..you really don’t believe that?”

“It’s not exactly easy to believe!” 

“You said it yourself Master, fighting is our flirting,” She giggled, pressing a kiss to his lips which he answered eagerly. 

“Yeah well it was certainly  _ my _ flirting,” he muttered against her lips, pressing into the kiss, pouring his worry and fear into it. The kiss became desperate, the Master's hand finding its way into her hair and gripping the soft strands as his tongue nudged at her lips until she gave him access. The Doctor let out a soft hiss, pulling back from the kiss so she was no longer leaning on her injured arm. 

“Maybe we should continue this later.” The Master nodded, lifting himself up off her cot. 

“Right, I should drop you all back off at your TARDIS. Shouldn’t be hard to locate it.”

“You could come with us,” she said, but it was more a question than a statement. The Master only smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Maybe next time my dear.” he helped her off the cot, and they headed back into the console room to join the others.


	8. Dusk Till Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan in hatched
> 
> If you don't know by now that this fic is in no way following any of the events that happened after Spyfall part 2 then you know now and I am super sorry about that lmao.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! If you want to come talk to me or leave a request you can do so here!
> 
> www.tumblr.com/gayforthe13th
> 
> I also post art and Doctor Who related content on my twitter
> 
> www.twitter.com/illuminatetrash

“Doctor we need to talk,” it had been about a week since the cyberman invasion, not that the Doctor had been keeping count. Well, she had, but it was only because she hadn’t been in touch with the Master since he had healed her, since their kiss, it worried her. It’s not like it hadn’t been like this before, where neither Timelord would talk to each other for a few days, she was guilty of it herself. She didn’t want to go back to hiding, to the secrecy. Today, however, it seemed like those days were over. She had been rifling her cabinets for a snack when Yaz waltzed in, skipping all pleasantries in favor of getting down to business, two pairs of footsteps trailing behind her.

“Well good morning to you too Yaz,” the Doctor snarked, reaching up onto one of the higher cabinets to grab a box of biscuits, cursing her short legs. 

“You’ve been seeing the Master behind our backs. I think it's about time we talked about it,” the Doctor pulled the box from the shelf, avoiding the other’s eyes as she took a handful of biscuits out. 

“Why’s that?” 

“Doctor! You know very well why!” Yaz’s patience was wearing thin, beside her Ryan shuffled uncomfortably. “H-he tried to kill us! He tried to kill you! And what you’re  _ snogging _ him behind our backs!?”

“Look, I’m not excusing anything he did because, believe me, he’s done a lot. But he said he’d change and I believe him. A-and we’re not snogging we’re just-”

“Oh come off it Doctor, I saw the way you were looking at him when we were dealing with the cybermen. We’re not stupid. What if he’s just trying to trick you again? Doctor I’m begging you to think about this.” At that point the Doctor fixed her with a glare, her eyes fixing on Ryan and Graham as if silently asking them if they felt the same. Graham’s gaze steadied on her, never faltering, Ryan looked worried but his eyes flickered to everything but her, and Yaz was glaring right back.

“I know him,” the Doctor said, her voice steady but her eyes darkened, “trust me to make my own decisions.” 

“That’s the problem Doctor, we put our trust in you. We don’t even know who you are.”

“I told you who I am. I’m just a traveler. I’m a Timelord from the planet Gallifrey, and the Master is my oldest friend, that’s it. That’s all there is to know.” And then she left, leaving behind an atmosphere of unease. The group followed behind her as she led them back into the console room, box of biscuits still in hand, she set the TARDIS into motion. 

“Can we visit your planet some time?” Ryan asked, an unceremonious way to change the subject, little did he know that had just made it worse. The Doctor sighed, it was a sad quiet one that she masked with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

“Maybe next time,” she said, and the companions decided that they should take their leave as the Doctor stood at the console, staring blankly into nothingness. 

They weren’t going to get answers from her, that was the collective understanding of the three TARDIS residence who had since decided to take up meetings in Yaz’s room to figure out what was going on. The thing was, that each of them knew exactly who they had to ask if they were going to know anything, if they were going to protect their friend. The Master was manipulative, Yaz had seen his manipulation at work close up, she knew he could straight up lie to them if he wished, but she also knew (or thought she knew) that he was planning something dangerous and maybe, if they were careful enough, he would give up vital information. He had before, in the form of riddles and secret photographs, and he had offered Graham a look into her file. He wouldn’t have done that if there wasn’t an ulterior motive at work, a final game-plan. The Doctor might not see it, but they did, and they’d help her at any cost. “Okay so we’re going to need to find a way to contact him,” Ryan said as he said cross-legged upon Yaz’s bed. 

“Well the Doc is the only one with his phone number,” Yaz chimed it.

“Right so we’d have to nick her phone.” 

“Are you sure this is the right move?” it was Graham who spoke up this time, sitting in a plush armchair in the far corner, “I mean this Master bloke is proper dangerous, how do we know he won’t be setting a trap for us as soon as we get there.” Then he cleared his throat, “besides the Doctor’s a grown woman...she can handle herself.”

“Ain’t she about like two thousand years old or somethin? Maybe gramps has a point,” Ryan said, nudging his thumb in his grandfather's direction.

“Ryan!” Yaz huffed, hitting his arm with her elbow, “just cuz she’s old doesn’t mean she doesn’t need our help. Who knows how much two thousand is in Timelord years, maybe she’s like nineteen in human years or something!”

“Do Timelord years work like that?” Ryan asked.

“I don’t know,” Yaz shook her head, “but we won’t find out unless we ask the Master. God knows the Doctor won’t tell us anything!” A silence filled the room as the trio pondered their options. For a moment, it looked like the decision to find out anything would be left to only Yaz, but then, after a moment, there was a voice.

“Okay...So how do we get her phone from her?” it was Ryan who spoke, and as soon as he did Yaz began to set a plan into motion.


	9. Dont be Suspicious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Questions and answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for enjoying my fic! If you want to talk or send a request you can do so here
> 
> www.tumblr.com/gayforthe13th
> 
> you can also see more of my Doctor Who related content here!
> 
> www.twitter.com/illuminatetrash

Nabbing the Doctor’s phone was easy enough, it took the gang a total of two tries before actually getting it once they realized the Doctor’s attention span is extremely short and she was bound to forget it somewhere eventually. They snatched it, ran back to Yaz’s room and crowded around it like it was a bomb about to explode. “Okay, so we just find O’s contact and text him yeah?” Ryan asked, reaching to grab the phone but Graham slaps his hand before he can nab it.

“Oi! What if we text him and he tells the Doc? We gotta make sure he won’t say anything.”

“Why would he?” Yaz asks. Ryan snatches the phone while Graham’s distracted and the older man sends him a glare. “Think about it. If he’s planning something and he has us he wouldn’t tell her until his plan is in motion, that's what he did last time. He waited until the perfect moment to strike.”

“What if your so-called ‘perfect moment’ happens when we get there. What if he was just waiting for us the whole time?” Graham said, putting air quotes around ‘perfect moment’ as he spoke. Meanwhile, Ryan had just discovered that the Doctor did not, in fact, lock her phone and probably did not know how to. He scrolled through her contact list until he found the Master, glossing over a series of other names he didn’t recognize. The Master’s contact was under a strange name but he knew it was him because he had been contacted recently. 

“What kind of name is Koschei?” Ryan asked, his fingers hovering over the keyboard ready to type.

“Eh?” Graham and Yaz leaned over to get a better look, “you sure that’s him, son?”

“Yeah, pretty sure, look they’ve been texting about the whole cyberman ordeal. And she called him _love_.” Ryan said, sticking out his tongue in mock disgust. 

“Okay so just tell him we want to meet up, and I’ll tell the Doctor we want to visit our families.” Ryan nodded, typing in a quick message to the Master.

**Doctor**

Meet me in Sheffield at this address ****************** 

**Koschei**

Why? I could just meet you at your TARDIS

Ryan chewed his lip, his fingers hovered over the keys as he tried to think his way out of that one. Graham, who was looking over his shoulder, said: “Just tell him it's a surprise.”

“Oi, he’s not that stupid.”

“Debatable..” and Ryan really didn’t see another option, so he did, and they waited.

**Koschei**

The things I do for you

If this is another stupid human movie thing I’m leaving you there

“Yeah! We did it!” they high fived, Ryan tucked away the phone and they headed out to meet up with Yaz who was watching while the Doctor steered the TARDIS. 

“Are you sure you all want to go home? It is a time machine and you know, I have so many adventures planned for this week,” she said as she worked, spinning a lever and pushing a button.

“Ah well you know, I miss my family,” Yaz said, and it wasn’t exactly a lie but it definitely wasn’t the truth either. The Doctor nodded, landing the ship with a shudder and snapping her fingers, the doors opened.

“Right well, I suppose I’ll see you all in a week then?” the trio nodded, quickly saying their goodbyes before heading out the door. They watched the Doctor’s TARDIS leave and the Master’s ship take its place. The three held their breath as the scariest villain they had ever faced waltzed out of his ship with a smile and a suit on only for his smile and his shoulders to drop once he realized who was standing before him. 

“Should’ve known really, the Doctor’s never that vague with her texts…” 

“We’ve got some questions for you. And you _will_ answer them.” it was Yaz who spoke. The Master blinked and then began to laugh, loudly. In fact, he was drawing attention to himself, probably on purpose as the trio began to step back a bit nervously. 

“What makes you so sure I’ll answer any of your stupid questions!?” he asked, wiping a fake tear from his eye. 

“B-because you need us. If you want to get to the Doctor you’ll need us to do it.”

“Get to the Doctor?” the Master scoffed, “Ah, I see," he said, straightening the bow-tie around his neck, "if I wanted you dead, ape, I would have ended your life on that ship and left you there to rot. If I wanted the Doctor dead I wouldn’t have come to make sure she got back to my ship safely so tell me pet,” the Master growled, stepping forward, “did your plan backfire on you yet?” He spoke low, leaning over them even though he wasn’t any taller than they were. It was still intimidating, Yaz shrunk in his gaze. 

“Actually, not really,” it was Ryan who spoke up this time, resting a hand on Yaz’s shoulder, “see uh we took the Doctor’s phone and we know she had a means of tracking it. She’ll track it straight to you,” he says with a smirk.

“Is that supposed to scare me?”

“No, not if you answer our questions. If you don’t and the Doctor tracks the phone to you and sees us, cowering in fear and inside your ship with no explanation. She’ll be livid.” Now the Master has played chess a lot, one might even say he’s really good at it. This would mean that the Master could recognize a stalemate when he saw one. This is why, without a word, he backs down and snaps his fingers. The door to his ship opens, a silent invitation. The trio eagerly follows him inside.

“So what do you want to know?” the Master said, once the trio was seated, albeit a bit awkwardly, at the rickety wooden table in his living room. The shack hadn’t changed much since they last saw it, granted that had been about a week ago, and the Master didn’t look like one to redecorate. Ryan and Graham exchange glances before their gazes settle on Yaz who really didn’t think she’d make it this far if she was being honest with herself. When she didn’t say anything, and the Master’s patience began to noticeably wear thin, Ryan spoke.

“Why is your name Koschei? Like you know on her phone? Why’s that your name?” the Master rolled his eyes, deciding that he’d need something stronger than tea for this he gets up and makes his way over to the kitchen, fishing out a bottle of rum from one of the cabinets. 

“It’s my nickname.”

“Oh, does the Doctor have one?”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell us?”

“No,” the Master hissed, sitting back down once he had poured himself a drink, “they were the names we used back at the Academy when we were kids.”

“Academy?” Graham asked.

“Timelord school.” the group nodded, the Master took a sip of his drink. This time Yaz spoke, seemingly gathering the courage to finally speak.

“Why aren’t you trying to kill her? Why did you try to kill her before?”

The Master sighed, folding his hands on the table. He spoke like one would talk to a group of children, “You know-how, in olden times, or whatever you humans consider olden times, a male would often perform sonnets or send flowers to court a female.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Ryan deadpanned, “no way that was just _flirting._ ”

“Of course it was just flirting, and I flirted, and I got my date…” he didn’t sound so sure about it, but he didn’t offer any other answer. Yaz shook her head, sharing a glance with Ryan, who looked almost tired.

“What about Gallifrey?”

“What about it?” the Master said, not meeting their eyes.

“Well...she won’t take us.”

“She can’t.” no one spoke for a moment, the Master merely sipped his drink again, debating whether or not he should say anything at all.

“Why not?” Graham asked.

“If she won’t tell you…” the Master spoke, his voice low, a hint of a growl seeped through it, when he met their eyes again it terrified them, “what makes you think I will?”


	10. Outrunning Karma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master remembers his place in the Doctor's universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow this ended up being super angsty and for that i apologize

“Have you ever considered,” the Master said, lifting himself from his seat and swirling his drink in his glass as he circled the trio like a predator and its prey, “that the Doctor and I are older than your civilization, and that sometimes there are secrets far scarier than whatever mundane dribble you humans are so used to.” He drank in silence, watching them as they fidgeted. The Master was biding his time, sure the Doctor was a complete idiot all the time, but he knew it would have taken her approximately ten minutes to realize her phone was missing from the time the trio showed up at his door, and another ten to track it to him. 

It was the older one who spoke first, “exactly how old are you?” it was a question he was sure the man had asked the Doctor before, and at least it was one the Master could answer. 

“I don’t know, I’ve died and come back a lot. Probably over three thousand years if you’re not counting the times I’ve died.” he waits for that to sink in, humans could be so achingly slow. When it does it seems like the answer caused a ripple of other questions to form in their minds with Gallifrey seemingly forgotten for the time being. 

“So.. you guys have been fighting for three thousand years. Do you change faces like she says she does?”

“It wasn’t always fighting,” the Master hissed slamming his drink down onto the table, the three flinched.

“Right,” the girl said, “the Doctor said you guys were old friends.” the Master, whose brain tried to remember the human’s names but honestly gave up about five minutes ago, nodded.

“As I said, we went to the Academy together, we were friends for a while..and then more, and then the Doctor ran, and I’ve been trying to get her attention ever since,” the trio listened intently as this was, the Master realized, the first real answer he had given them since they got there. “She was always running away from something or towards something but no matter which there was always danger nearby. She loves that stuff, eats it up just as much as she loves her precious Earth. So, I knew the only way to get her attention was to create trouble.” 

“Why’d she run?” the girl asked, her voice lowered significantly, she asked her question carefully this time. The Master didn’t answer them, his eyes trailed to the door, a smirk grew on his face.

“Well,” he says, walking over to the door with a spring in his step, “it seems your time is up.” the trio turned to follow him, as soon as he got close enough there was an angered knock at the door, the Master opened it with an exaggerated bow and the Doctor stormed in, her eyes dark, her hands on her hips. Yaz shrank in her gaze, it was like being berated by your mother, she watched Ryan do the same though he slunk closer to his grandfather as if that would save him from her wrath. 

“What were you three thinking!” the Doctor paced the Master’s floor, her hand running through her hair in frustration. “Is it so hard for you to just trust me?”

“We don’t even know who you are!” the Master watched as the girl suddenly flared to life, she stood in front of her friends, her stance defensive and angry. The Master who, ever since the Doctor walked in, had been standing to the side with a grin on his face suddenly felt it fall and the burning need to remind her that they were not human, that she had a place and she should know what it was rose within his chest. 

“Watch your tone,” he growled, stepping closer to the Doctor who had since stood shocked, hurt lacing her features as her friend glared at her. The Doctor’s shoulder fell, she shook her head and reached a hand out to calm the Master. 

“She’s right, I’m sorry.” the Master looked at her like she had grown two heads.

“What? What right do they have to know anything? They signed up for this you didn’t force them to come with you!”

“I should’ve been more honest from the start,” the Doctor said, her voice soft as she spoke to him. He knew this wasn’t just about their pasts, or Gallifrey, or the humans. It was about them. She should have been more honest about them. 

“You didn’t owe them anything..” wasn't he more important than that?

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I was talking to him, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you we were together,” she spoke to her companions, who had relaxed significantly. The Master avoided their eyes, his thoughts running, anger and sadness made its way to the forefront of his mind and for a moment he had forgotten that he left his mind open long enough for the Doctor to reach. He felt her, soft and sweet, poke at the forefront of his head and quickly shut her out, slamming the door in her face. She jolted suddenly, looking up at him. He ignored her, in favor of walking over to the door of his ship and leaning against the wall beside it.

“Whenever you’re ready to leave, the door is right here,” he said, it was a command, not a request. The companions shared a look, before turning to the Doctor.

“I’m sorry Doc,” the older one said, sadness in his voice, the others nodded in silent apology. The Doctor smiled, it was a small one but it was there nonetheless, she forgave them like she always did like she always would quicker than she could ever forgive the Master for anything. He was walking on eggshells ever since he had told her about Gallifrey, ever since he broke down in her arms scared to lose her for the millionth time. And yet her companions marched about like they owned the place, sticking their noses where it didn’t belong and leaving with a smile on their faces and no less but a slap on the wrist. It sickened him to think he’d always be second best than the disease that was humanity. He wanted it destroyed, but old habits die hard he supposed. He took no notice of the hug the Doctor shared with her friends, or the way she ushered them out the door and towards her ship, which was parked across from his, nor did he notice that she remained with him. 

It would have stayed that way if he didn’t feel her mind reach out to his and knock gently on the door he had shut. “Leave,” he growled, pushing off the wall and walking over to his console where he got ready to set his ship into flight again. 

“Please talk to me,” she said, he could feel her waiting patiently, a swirl of worry at the front of his mind, pressing gently against the walls he had put up, “I’m sorry about all of this. I don’t care if you told them anything.” the Master scoffed.

“You’re not sorry for me, you’re sorry for them,” he said, the walls in his mind increased, he shoved her out again, “you’re sorry they had to hear anything at all, you’re sorry they found out. You’re sorry they met me.” he turned, facing her, his stance angry but his eyes were sad, he looked broken, maybe because he really was. “I’m your best enemy. And I will never be anything more than that, will I? The villain in your story of heroes.” 

“You know that’s not true!” the Master only smirked, straightening himself he took a step forward and watched her flinch back, his smirk only grew. 

“Of course it is, I’m the crazy one, the one you need to fix. While you, you’re the pure one. Look at you, you’re their hero. No wonder you didn’t want them to know anything. Because they would’ve found out what we already know,” he stepped forward again, his hand shot out to grip her collar, “that we’re the same, you and me.” 

“Stop..” she lifted her hand to press it gently against his cheek, but he wasn’t an animal, and she wasn’t going to tame him. He dropped her collar to wrap his hand around her wrist instead, his grip tight as his nails dug into her skin. 

“Get out,” he said, pushing her hand away from his face and stepping away from her entirely He didn’t look back until he heard the door shut behind her, and even then, he wished he hadn’t.


	11. Fire on Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A means to an almost end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! So this is the end, there's one more chapter after this an epilogue of sorts but its mostly smut. You can skip it if its not your thing, and let this just be the end. 
> 
> In that case. Thanks for reading!

The Doctor’s mood had worsened ever since they left the Master’s ship. She had come in a little after them, Yaz took notice of the tear tracks on her cheek, which she pointedly ignored as the Doctor put the ship in flight. Now though, after three days, she was starting to worry. The guilt hung about the ship like a dark cloud, and the gang began to think that maybe they shouldn’t have talked to the Master in the first place. But the Doctor didn’t seem mad at them specifically, she still took them to wonderful places, still talked and laughed with them. But every laugh felt forced, every conversation felt like a subject change and every time they turned their backs they felt her sadness grow. No one said anything, all of them too afraid to make the situation worse. Ryan had suggested they get in contact with the Master again, but one sharp look from Graham had him silent for the rest of the night. Meanwhile, the Doctor had tried time and time again to contact the Master, but his mind was blocking her, and he wasn’t answering her texts. For the first time in weeks, she felt more alone than she ever had. 

One night, while the others were asleep, she shut her eyes and took a deep breath reaching her mind out to him. She could feel the walls he put up, knew that he could feel her poking and prodding at the walls like a gentle knock.  _ Please, Master,  _ she tried to make contact, reaching out as if her arms were stretched and waiting.  _ Koschei _ she called, tears forming in her eyes. She wanted to apologize, wanted to fix things she let him know this through her bond. Slowly, tentatively, the wall began to break, piece by piece until there was a slot big enough for the Doctor to fit through but small enough for the Master to build it back up again with ease and shut her out. The Doctor walked through his mind carefully, afraid to make a wrong move. She walked passed locked doors and shielded memories until she reached an open one at the far end of his mind. 

She stepped through it, white light blinding her as she did, and when it tapered out she found herself standing in red grass, the warmth of two suns surrounded her. She stepped further until she spotted the familiar silhouette of the Master, standing atop the hill and looking out at the citadel. He didn’t say anything as she joined him, merely looking out at the citadel as flying vehicles swirled passed and the distant ringing laughter of children could be heard. “Beautiful, isn’t it,” he spoke after a moment, yet he still didn’t look at her.

“It always was, despite everything,” she said. The Master hummed looking down at his feet which her planted firmly in the red grass as it swayed gently around them.

“Remember the days we used to spend here, before everything?” he asked, this time turning his head to look at her, her breath hitched as she met his eyes. He had been crying, she could see his tears reflected by the twin suns. 

“Master I-”

“Don’t. Just tell me.” 

“Of course…” there was laughter in the distance, and from her spot atop the hill, she could see two figures, running after each other in the grass below them. She recognized them of course, though she didn’t say anything. 

“I wish things were different. I always have. I don’t blame you for taking the path you did, I took my own..” the Master spoke, watching as Koschei pushed Theta to the ground with a triumphant shout, the two of them wrestling in the grass until Theta rolls and pushing Koschei off of him. “You always won in the end. Even when we were kids.”

“You always let me,” the Doctor says, “you could have killed me so many times before and yet..”

“I never wanted you, dead Doctor,” he says, his voice soft. The Doctor smiles, reaching out she takes his hand. He doesn’t fight against it, lets her hand rest in his. 

“Master, I’m sorry. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I am.” she takes a deep breath, squeezing his hand, “I..I care about you, not because we’re the last, but because I always have. For the longest time.” the Master scoffed, letting go of her hand and turning to head back down the hill.

“Tell me, Doctor,” he says, the scenery changing before them until the grass around them is burning and the citadel behind him was in ruins, “do you care now?” the Doctor takes a step back, staring out at the burning ruins, shaking her head.

“Don’t do this.”

“I already did,” he hisses, hands clutching at his head, “I remember it, I think about it all the time Doctor and it hurts. But I love the pain.” he grins, the Doctor can feel his hearts beating, his head pounding. She reaches out for him, she can feel his walls building again but she refused to be shut out this time. 

“Koschei-”

“THAT'S NOT MY NAME!” he growls, kneeling in the grass his fingers digging into his scalp. The Doctor shakes her head, kneeling down to his level she gently removes his hands from his head, shutting her eyes and letting the world change around them, until Gallifrey returned to what is was, until she could hear their younger selves wrestling behind them again. The Master lets out a shuddering sob, his hands gripping onto hers as he shook.

“We’re all we have left. I can’t sit here and blame you for something I’ve done before. It would make me no better. They’ve hurt us both.” she presses a soft kiss to his head, trailing kisses down to his cheek, then his jaw, until she reaches his trembling lips and presses a kiss to them. “Beautiful,” she said against his lips, “you always have been.” he sighs, tilting his head to kiss her once again, pulling his hands from her grasp to rest them against her cheek, pulling her down until he lay in the grass, her body sprawled atop his as she wiped a stray tear from his face. 

“We’re the same,” he whimpers, “me and you. Promise me.” she lets out a gasp as his hips raise to meet hers, she nods leaning down to taste him once more. “Say it,” he says, his hand tangling itself in her hair as he grinds his hips against hers and listens to her moan softly against his lips. 

“I promise,” she gasps, nipping his bottom lip, “I promise.” 

In the distance, Theta and Koschei had disappeared from where they once were, instead, the Master’s mind was focused on the present, the feeling of love that swirled in his head, and the taste of her lips on his own. 


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for smut in this chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! That's the end! Thank you for sticking with me on this one. Expect a ten/Simm!Master fanfic coming soon! And maybe some one-shots surrounding this fanfic but who knows!
> 
> If you want to come say Hi or leave a request you can do so here!
> 
> www.tumblr.com/gayforthe13th

As much as the Master enjoyed where they were right now he would rather continue their current activities somewhere outside of his mind, the Doctor was inclined to agree, which is why a little while later when the Doctor had parked her ship on a random planet and her friends were all asleep there was a knock at her door. She opening, revealing the Master, suit, and bowtie on with a grin on his face, “may I come in?” he doesn’t even have to ask, and yet much like a vampire needs permission to enter a house he does so anyway. But the Master is far from Dracula, and evidently better looking, yet when the Doctor allows him in and the door shuts behind him his lips are on her neck in an instant and his leg in between her thigh. She gasps, wrapping her arms around his neck, her fingers tangling themselves in his hair as she grinds against him. “Oh, you were expecting this weren't you Doctor?” he purrs, nipping and sucking at her neck as his hand trails up her shirt and maps the skin of her hips. 

“You left so suddenly,” she gasps, “I knew you’d come back for something.” she could feel the Master chuckle against her skin and lets out a soft squeak when he lifts her up, her legs coming to wrap around his waist as he carries her to her room. The TARDIS is helpful enough to rearrange the hallways so her room is much closer than anticipated, the Doctor’s lips meet his as the door to her room slides open and they enter with ease. He laid her down on her bed and gently hovers above her, his free hand taking off both her shoes before he toes off his, neither of them have stopped kissing yet. The Master lets out a moan as she nips at his bottom lip and tugs before pulling away from the kiss entirely, her hands coming up to undo his bowtie and fling it across the room. 

“Getting right down to it them?” he smirks, “but I wanted to have some fun first,” he punctuates his sentences by grinding his hips into her, watching as her head falls back with a sharp gasp. 

“Don’t tease me, Master,” she hisses, but when her hands come up again, he’s grabbing her wrists and pushing them behind her head.

“I think you’ll find,” he says, one hand leaving her wrist to trail up her shirt, pushing up her sports bra and pinching her nipple between his fingers, “that I’m in charge.” she whimpers but it turns into a moan once he leans his head down to run his tongue over her nipple before sucking on it sharply. She hisses, bucking her hips against his, feeling the friction of his still clothed cock over her clit. 

“Please Master,” she whines, as he frees her hands to lift her shirt and bra over her head in one fluid motion and toss them away. She presses a kiss to her lips, then her cheek, then her neck, trailing kisses down to her hip where he nips gently. One hand slides down her body, achingly slow, but she feels herself heat up when his fingers meet the clasp of her trousers and undoes them. He doesn’t slide them off though, instead, his fingers slipped under her trousers and press against the front of her soaked underwear. 

“Look at you,” he purred, pressing against her clit and earning a moan, “so wet for me already Doctor?” she merely nods and lets out a sharp mewl as he rubs a finger against her clit. “I knew I had to see you like this in person,” he continues, sliding his fingers out and slowly tugging down her trousers along with her underwear, “so, so beautiful.” He presses another soft kiss to her hips, letting her fingers tangle in his hair as he trails kisses to her inner thigh. He gives one experimental lick to her clit and feels her fingers tense, a fistful of hair in her hand, he bites his lip, considering his next move. When his tongue pushes between her folds he lets out a sharp moan as she tugged roughly at his hair and that's when he knows he’s doing something right. He sucks at her clit, the vibration he sent through her as she tugged his hair again at her writhing beneath him. He could feel his dick twitch in his pants and decided that he was in fact done with the foreplay. He pulls back, sitting on his knees and licking his lips, “take my clothes off love,” he says watching as she sits up and frantically unbuttons his shirt, letting him tug it off the rest of the way as she undoes his pants. Her fingers brush against the outline of his cock making him suck in a sharp breath, “hurry up,” he growls, but she isn’t done teasing him yet. 

The Doctor gives him a smirk, kissing up his body, nipping and sucking at his stomach as she presses the heel of her palm against the front of his pants and kneads. He lets out a grunt, lifting her face to his and pulling her into a rough kiss and he rocks into her hand. He doesn’t notice when she tugs his pants and boxers down until her soft hand is wrapped around his cock and her thumb is teasing the tip, spreading precum over it as her tongue pressed into his mouth. He moans against her, hands coming to grip at her waist as he pushes her hips flush against his, the feeling of skin on skin has them both moaning, the Doctor pulls back from the kiss to rock her hips into his, slow and steady, letting his cock drag over her clit with each motion. “Please Master,” she purrs, “I need you,” and that’s all it takes for him to push her onto her back as he shrugs off the rest of his clothes, then his hands are gripping her hips, fingers digging into her skin as he pulled her towards him and lines himself up, the head of his cock teasing her wet cunt. “Please,” she moans, letting him lean down and capture her lips into a softer kiss as he slowly presses into her tight, wet heat. 

“Doctor, Theta!” he gasps, rocking his hips slowly, savoring the feeling of her as his hands map out her body. She’s moaning, soft and sweet against his lips, her hands pressed against his cheeks. 

“I love you,” she gasps out, as his pace picks up, and for a moment he doesn’t answer and her hearts are pounding in her chest, then she feels his mind reach out as he’s panting and muttering Gallifreyan against her lips. She accepts him without hesitation, and an outpouring of love hits the forefront of her mind and spreads until she’s shaking and releasing with a loud moan, followed by the feeling of his release inside her. He presses soft kisses to her cheek and her head as he slowly slides himself out and falls beside her. It takes her a moment to realize he’s giggling into her shoulder, arms wrapped around her waist. She could feel warm tears hit her and turns to wipe them from his eyes before he pulls her into another searing kiss, muttering ‘I love yous’ against her lips. 

“I want to stay like this, with you,” he mutters, pulling back and resting his head against the pillow.

“We’ve gotta get up sooner or later,” she giggles, he gives her a soft smile and shakes his head.

“No, I mean. Being in love, I want to do that. For a long time.” she nuzzles her nose against his, shutting her eyes she could feel the remnants of his mind swirling together with hers.

“We will, I promise.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you tell I cant write straight smut?

**Author's Note:**

> if you would like to send me requests or just say hi you can do so here!
> 
> www.tumblr.com/gayforthe13th


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